Songs I Can't Listen To- Neon Trees

Neon Trees is very well known and they are a rock band formed in Provo, Utah. They were originally formed by Tyler Glenn (vocals and keyboard) and Chris Allen (guitar and backing vocals) in their hometown in southern California; they later added Elaine Bradley (drums and backing vocals) and Brandon Campbell (bass and backing vocals) to their line up. Neon Trees have gained a lot of success all over the world and are known for Tyler's unique voice, emotional lyrics, and a sound unlike anything else.

They have released three studio albums at this point, and are working their fourth. The backing drumbeats creates a base for the songs that everything else builds off of.  They have amazing guitar riffs, coupled with great bass lines that work together to create a depth to each song. The synth in each song adds a sort of 80s inspired sound that helps to enhance the sound of every other aspect of the song. My favorite part of their songs is Tyler's amazing voice and the lyrics; they make the songs what they are. Tyler has such a beautiful voice that is unlike any other singer I've ever heard. They seem to take influences from many different genres of music and use it to create something all of their own.

This single sounds like things they have released in the past, but with a more hard rock sound. The guitar in this song reminds me a lot of Jimi Hendrix with the use of the whammy bar and hard riffs. This song has a some 80s inspired synth that complement Tyler's vocals. The drum beat adds to the emotional significance of the song; this makes the song something people can dance to and draws you into the song. The song's lyrics talk about how after a break up you can't listen to songs that remind you of them, because it causes you too much pain to think about the person you were with. My favorite lines from the song are "when you're cold, don't forget how this song kept us warm. You would dance on my bed; I would lay in your arms", because it embodies how even after you break up with someone and you don't want anything to do with them you still remember the good times you had and how much you enjoyed your time with that person while it lasted. I feel like this would be one of the worst things that could happen; you can no longer listen to a song you love because it reminds you too much of the heartbreak and hurt you went through.

I love the emotion of this song. You can feel both the love he felt and the pain that came in the end. You understand why this is such a horrible situation, and you hope you never have to go through the same thing (though almost all of us will at some point). This song is so perfect to me, because it has both happiness and sadness and is so relatable. No matter how much pain you go through with someone after a break up, all that pain is because you once loved them so deeply that it felt like your heart was ripped out when you had to live without them. This song perfectly embodies that.

Neon Trees' Website
Buy "Songs I Can't Listen To"